Fareham children and teachers feeling grateful after service stepped in to replace stolen storyteller chair

Over February half term, the site manager at Orchard Lea Junior School in Fareham was gobsmacked when he discovered the oversized, heavy storyteller chair was missing from the field.

It is used around the firepit so people can sing songs and tell stories, and had only been at the school for a year when it was taken.

Nine-year-old Imogen Johns added: ‘I was really confused, I thought “why would somebody want to take the chair?”’ I felt flabbergasted.’

Emily Norton, class teacher and English manager, posted on Facebook to tell people the distinctive and much-loved chair had been taken, with plenty of parents getting involved and sharing the post.

It was spotted by support worker Jermaine Broomes who works with Go Create Care, a Soberton-based service for adults with autism, mental health issues and learning disabilities.

Jermaine said: ‘The guys at the farm didn’t understand why someone would take it.’

Seven people got to work and created a replacement chair made from recycled wooden pallets within two days, and Jermaine delivered it to the school.

Mrs Norton said: ‘The fact that we had the storyteller chair back in time for World Book Day is brilliant.

‘This one is going to be cemented in so it won’t happen again.

‘They didn’t have to do anything but the fact that they have is really lovely, there has been such a positive out of such a negative and I really hope we will continue to have links with them in the future.’

The children are keen to visit the workshop to see how their new chair was made, and meet some of the service users at Go Create Care, who can also learn skills including taking care of animals and cooking.

Jermaine said: ‘It’s an amazing place. Since I have been there I haven’t felt like I have been to work once, it’s a great place.’